Gift of Admiration
by Empress Raven
Summary: Avandria 001 / Avandria must decide what to do with the new pet her admirer has given to her while resisting the urge to kill it and shame her family's honor.


**Gift of Admiration**

**Avandria **

The crate stared back at her, mocking her. Its shiny silver surface reflected her cold sapphire eyes and her indifferent face. The crate had small holes in the top and was wrapped with gold and red ribbons. On the side, a small tag dangled gently in the breeze that swept into the harem style room that she called her own.

Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled the ribbons off and opened the top on the crate and peered inside. Lying on the floor of the silver crate there was a small white cat spotted with patches of black. It woke from its slumber at the light that suddenly peered in from the top of its bed and it gazed at her with a deep purr. She reached in and picked the creature up and set it on the table, moving the crate to the floor. She slumped into a chair and sighed deeply as the animal pawed at Yaztik, her Imp who had come to investigate the creature, hoping it was a snack.

"Is that a Snow Leopard?!" Jaelyndari asked as she wandered into her younger sister's room. "It's adorable! Who sent it to you?" she asked, noticing the crate and ribbons lying on the floor.

Avandria rolled her eyes at her elder sister. "Who do you think it's from?!"

Jaelyndari giggled knowingly at her sister. "Well, are you going to keep it? You better ask father first if you plan to." She turned and walked out of the room with a giggle fresh in her throat.

Avandria thumped the animal on its nose and it pawed playfully at her hands. "Careful young one, these hands could easily be your undoing."

Avandria wasn't the type to have cute little creatures like the baby leopard sitting on the table in front of her. She was a Warlock, a master of the Demonic arts. She kept demons, not kittens.

"What was he thinking?" She asked aloud.

Nerisen had been clamoring for her attention for months. He was a Rogue trainer in Silvermoon City and his training cove was next door to the Warlock Coven. He had seen her go in and out as her training progressed, and now that she had matured into a woman, his desire for her was safe to stop ignoring. He was six years her elder, and he felt he could be a good husband to her if she would only let him. Nerisen was not the type to give up easily.

"You have a pet?" a strong male voice said from the doorway. Avandria looked up to see the shadowy figure of her father in the doorway.

"You may enter Father." Avandria said in his direction. She knew how proper he was about his daughters; he would never enter their private space without their permission.

"This is a baby leopard." He said in disbelief. "A baby leopard that you haven't obliterated yet, are you feeling alright dear?" He asked, concern sweeping over his face. Avandria was his greatest disappointment. She had taken up the Demonic arts instead of becoming a Paladin like he had hoped for her to be. Still, he loved his daughter with all his heart. He knew that she was cruel and mostly heartless. She tortured kittens as a youth as she learned of her demonic abilities.

"It was a gift father. I've yet to decide what to do with it." She replied sullenly.

Lor'Themar walked over to his daughter and kissed her gently on her forehead. "He is a good man Avandria. If you're going to reject his efforts yet again, then at least have the kindness to leave him with his dignity." He gave her a small hug and walked out of the room.

She sighed deeply as he left. Nerisen was a City Trainer. It would be wrong to disrespect him. She couldn't allow the other Blood Elves to learn of his humiliation, or else his reputation as a trainer might be jeopardized. Rogues were good for her. They too followed the darker arts. Hers were based on demonic and arcane powers, while rogues followed the arts of shadow and poison. They helped keep warlocks respected. It wasn't good to be the only bloodthirsty class in the clan.

She stood up and summoned forth her Voidwalker. He appeared in a dark navy cloud of smoke, which startled the leopard into a corner.

"Grimgorg, keep an eye on this kitten. Make certain it doesn't wander out of the room, Ill be back shortly." She commanded of her minion. He bowed to her, though clearly would've liked to be sent back to the void instead of called forth for such a mundane task.

Avandria pulled her cloak about her shoulders and pulled its hood up over her hair and left her room. She wandered out of the housing and into the courtyard. She rounded the fountain and entered the Cleft of Shadow. She walked to the second building on the left and stepped inside.

"Avandria!" Nerisen called out, pleased to see her. "Did you get the package I sent?"

Avandria rolled her eyes and stepped towards him. "We must speak. Follow me." She said softly near him before turning away and leading him out of the cleft and to a small unused building near the inn.

Nerisen looked around the building. There were pillows and rugs on the floor, a small table with some fruit, and a walkway leading to a loft with a bed on it that was surrounded by curtains the color of manaberry juice. His cheeked blushed at the thought that he could have been led to this room for purposes of seduction.

"I cannot accept the leopard. You must find it a different home." Her voice snapped Nerisen from his carnal thoughts.

"What? But I got it for you. I had a pupil of mine capture it on a recent spying mission. I wanted to give you something rare and exotic. Only something as rare and exotic as a snow leopard in these territories could come close to compare to your beauty." He replied; hurt forming softly in his emerald shaded eyes.

"The kitten is lucky it isn't dead. I don't keep cute things near me. The only pets I keep are demons. There is nothing demonic about that kitten, and it would disgrace my father if I were to change that about it. Find it a new owner." She replied stifling the rose that had attempted to flush her cheeks. She was happy to have her hood raised to hide her emotions from him.

Nerisen was taken aback. He had believed that his gift would help him get closer to her. He hoped she would see it as a kind gesture and treasure the animal out of the respect of that. Where were the manners of their clan? Why did she not hold them dear to her like other Sin'Dorei did? He thought quickly. He wanted her to hold the gift. He didn't want to take it back. He hoped that perhaps in time she would grow to love the creature. He needed to find a way to trap her into keeping the leopard. His thoughts quickly formulated a plan.

"Why did you bring me here to tell me this? Why not tell me all of this within the Cleft?" He asked her hoping his plan would work.

She looked at him, slight confusion on her features. "I had hoped that the privacy of this room would prevent unneeded dishonor to you." She replied slowly.

"If you truly don't want to dishonor me, than you will keep the leopard and care for it with the love you must have buried somewhere in your being." He said nonchalantly before turning and walking out of the room and back to the Cleft.

She stood there gaping at the doorway that he had walked out of. He had trapped her. It would mean dishonor to her reputation if word were to get out that she had harmed a gift from a highly respected member of the community. She would have to keep the kitten.

She sulked back to her home and entered her room to find the leopard pawing at the Voidwalker, whom was desperately trying not to swipe back at the animal.

She sighed and dismissed Grimgorg back to the void. The leopard scampered over to her and rubbed itself lovingly against her legs, purring with delight to see its apparent owner again.

She walked over to the crate lying on the floor and ripped the tag off the side. She made her way over to the right side of her room and flopped herself gingerly on her bed, rolling over to lie on her side. The leopard followed and curled itself up near the base of her torso.

She opened the tag and read inside:

"_Your beauty is far rarer than this leopard. You come and go in my life so much that I must believe you to be a vision of my imagination. I hope this young one brings comfort and love into your life. Your happiness is all the joy I need. I have taken the liberty of giving this creature its name. I have named her Mirage, after the role you seem to play in my life. I hope you can care for her._

_-Nerisen"_

"Mirage" she looked down at the creature that was now in a mild slumber next to her, "It fits you well." She blushed gently as she looked on at her gift. She was secretly happy he had tricked her into keeping it.


End file.
